After last week's presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, one name stood out above the rest: Alicia Machado.
Machado was the winner of Miss Universe in 1996, and since then has become a U.S. citizen and a Clinton supporter. During the debate, Clinton used Machado's story against Trump.
"One of the worst things he said was about a woman in a beauty contest. He loves beauty contests, supporting them and hanging around them. And he called this woman ‘Miss Piggy,’” Clinton said.
Trump didn't defend himself during the debate, but afterwards, on Twitter and Fox and Friends, Trump went on a tangent against Machado. In his tweets, Trump continues to comment on Machado's weight as well as her alleged sex tapes, which he urges people to watch. (There is absolutely no proof that Machado has a sex tape.)
This is not the first time Trump has belittled and degraded women.
In his TV show “The Apprentice,” both cast and crew claimed Trump treated the female contestants and workers poorly, often rating them on their breast size and if he would sleep with them or not. After the first republican debate, Trump attacked Megyn Kelly for being too hard on him by calling her a bimbo. He questioned Hillary Clinton’s ability when he retweeted a tweet that said, “If Hillary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?” In his ongoing feud with Rosie O’Donnell, he called the comedian “disgusting, both inside and out … she’s a slob.” Going after more celebrities, Trump has called Anne Hathaway a “gold digger,” Angelina Jolie “unattractive,” and Cher a “total loser.” As for politicians in his own party, Trump doesn't hold back, saying, “"Can you imagine that, the face of our next president? I mean, she's a woman, and I'm not supposed to say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?" in reference to republican Carly Fiorina.
When it comes to sex shaming, Trump’s track record is pretty high, but it’s almost comical that these statements are coming from Trump considering how hypocritical they really are.
Trump himself has had a very colorful history. He has been married three times and divorced twice. He has admitted to infidelity in his marriage. When Trump bought Miss USA he had the pageant girls parade in front of him so he could sort out the good-looking ones. He has appeared in Playboy magazine. He joked about wanting to date his daughter and found a 10-year-old Paris Hilton attractive. He has been in three sexual assault cases– including one involving a 13-year-old girl. Recently, a leaked tape caught Trump describing some of the lewd things he can do to women. Many are describing it as sexual assault, but Trump calls it "locker room banter."The list of scandals and women could go on.
In our society, the act of slut-shaming is so common and so accepted that we allow our politicians who run for president to say whatever they please. Women everywhere have struggled to live full, authentic lives only to be mocked by men with worse reputations. There comes a point where the pot is no longer calling the kettle black but rather beating it black and blue with abuse.
This is not an invitation to call Donald Trump a slut. This is not an invitation to attack Trump because he has attacked women. As educated readers, we know Trump is hypocritical, offensive, and just plain terrible. This is a reminder that the man who wants to make America great isn't so great himself.
